Bittersweet Birthday
by Ryuamakusa4eva
Summary: I've found a world where love, dreams and darkness all collide. Maybe this time, we can leave our broken world behind. It's a very bittersweet birthday.


**BITTERSWEET BIRTHDAY**

**A K-ON! fanfic**

**By: Ryuamakusa4eva**

**Summary: ****I've found a world where love, dreams and darkness all collide.**** Maybe this time, we can leave our broken world behind. It's a very bittersweet birthday.**

**Disclaimer: if I own it, I will make every Mitsu fanfic here in FFN a K-ON spin-off animes. (Believe it or not, that's my dream, seriously.)**

**A/N: Happy (veryveryvery) belated birthday Mio! I know your birthday was gazillion months ago, I'm sorry for my lateness (TT . TT), pro-power is just too tempting.**

**Oh and, special thanks to Little Uke-I mean, Little Donkey for the beta!  
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**This one is a quite dark one for a birthday fanfic, but I hope you'll enjoy it.**

* * *

><p><em>We'll be together again.<em>

_All just a dream in the end._

_We'll be together again._

_So many fears were swimming around,_

_And around my mind._

_Who would have dreamed the secrets,_

_We would find?_

I turned my iPod off. My eyebrows knitted together as I reached to take off my earphones and put them on the table. My fingers massaged my temples as I shut my eyes tightly. My teeth gritted together, and my shoulders shook.

How long had it been?

"One year or so…," I answered my own question under my breath, my voice trembling, my lips quivering.

I couldn't hold it any longer as my tears finally fell silently on my table, breaking the silence inside my room. Even though my eyes were clenched shut, I could not dam my tears.

How many times had I cried for that person?

How many times had I listened to the same song all over again?

I looked at my iPod with watery eyes, that song was 'her' last word.

The bitter song that made my heart clench no matter how many times I listened to it. The depth of the song were killing me inside, destroying me.

I waited, and waited, until now, but 'her' last word, 'her' last promise was never fulfilled. What 'Together Again'? She never came back.

"That…liar…!" I cursed under my breath as my hands clenched my chest, feeling my scar through my clothes. This scar was the reminder of when my world was turned upside down, when everything in my life changed.

It was hazy, but I could still remember the feeling of sharp steel cutting through my chest, blood splattering everywhere and decorating my body in an exotic red. I still remembered a pair of amber eyes that looked at me in shock.

Then those eyes sharpened, flickering to the mysterious person who did that to me.

I caught a glimpse of the amber-eyed person thrusting her hand towards the mysterious person, and a blade was slicing through the person's throat.

There was blood everywhere, and there was an agony in my chest before darkness clouded my mind. When I came to, I found out about a secret of 'her' that I would rather not know.

_"I'm not who you think I am, Mio."_ _she said with a bitter smile attached on her lips._

_"I'm an assassin."_

* * *

><p><em>"That's why I <em>_couldn't stay. It's__ far too dangerous for me to stay by your side, Mio. You're not even supposed to be involved."_

_A sad frown was visible on her face._

_"Look what happened to Mugi. __It's__ all because I'm here_…_" _

_She looked down at her __hands and__ gave them a disgusted look, as if they were stained __with__ something absolutely vile. _

_"Yui and Azusa don't even look at me anymore. They don't want to."_

_Then there was a smile, an empty smile._

_"We'll be together again, I promise_…_so, goodbye."_

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes and sat straight up in my chair. I blinked as I realized I'd fallen asleep in front of my study table with that dream haunting my mind, the one that brought shivers to my spine, again.<p>

I rubbed at my eyes. I could feel dry tears on my cheeks as I felt a chill. I looked at the source of the breeze, and there I saw that my window was open. The chilly breeze and the bright light of the moon shone through. Hence made my room had this solemn, cold, and windy feeling, but the moon warmed my face for some reason.

I frowned as I recalled that the window was closed before. When I stood up to close it, something fell from my shoulders.

My eyes glanced down and found a black hoodie on the floor, a very familiar hoodie. I ran towards the window and stuck my head out. I looked around, and found a street that was as empty as my heart.

_We'll be together again._

_All just a dream in the end._

_We'll be together again._

I pricked my ears and looked around my room for the source of the sound. I didn't realize I left my laptop on. Confused, I wandered over to the study table and stared at it. When did I turn my laptop on?

The song could be heard through the speaker. It made me glance at the hoodie, and the still opened window before I stared back at my laptop.

My eyes began to water. I grabbed the hoodie on the floor and hugged it tightly, sniffing at the familiar smell all the while. As I stared at my laptop again, my lips tugged upward.

_**'I'm not a liar, Mio.' **_

Was the sentence that I could see at my laptop.

"…Stupid Ritsu…."

When the clock struck twelve, the lights suddenly went out, and it was all dark in my room.

It was very calming for some reason.

I could see a glimpse of a steel blade right in front of my eyes and someone's arm. I recognized the structure of that blade; it was a blade that could come out from the sleeve. It was 'her' Hidden Blade.

I was not scared. Instead, I smiled at it.

"What took you so long, you idiot?" I spoke softly as I touched that arm.

That arm jerked a bit, and the blade was slid out of sight before that arm wrapped around my shoulder. Warmth was over my body as I finally heard the voice I had longed for.

"Did you miss me?"

Tears burst out of my eyes. "Yes…," I whispered, trying to control my trembling voice.

"I miss you too, Mio."

I turned around and wrapped my arms around her neck, quickly pressing my lips onto hers. But I made no haste to kiss her roughly. I took it slowly, savoring the taste of her lips and the warmth of her embrace that had been missing in my life for a whole year.

My eyes were opened slightly to take a look at her face. I sobbed and sighed in relief realizing that it really was her, the person that I loved, the person who could make my heart skip a beat, the person who could turn my world into a disaster.

A beautiful disaster.

With the lights off, the moonlight was brighter than ever. And the way it adorned her face was just so perfect that even words were not enough to describe it.

My grey eyes met with amber as she pulled back. I watched her lips turn upward, and then she licked the tears that had fallen to my cheeks, which made me sigh softly. I loved the feeling of her warm tongue on my face. It was just a simple act indeed, but it made my heart pound so fast.

"Happy birthday, Mio."

I looked at the amber-eyed brunette, bewildered.

Ah… 12AM, it was my birthday indeed.

"I…came back today for your birthday…so basically, my present is myself," she said with a grin. Oh, how I missed that grin.

"You idiot…" I gave off a smile. "…It's a really beautiful present, Ritsu."

"I'm glad you like it," she said with a lowered voice that gave me goose bumps.

"Ritsu," I paused for a bit, "Do I need to unwrap my present?"

Laughter filled my ears. I couldn't help but smile widely. I always loved the way she laughed…

It was like music. The beat synchronized with my heartbeat, the melody was very soothing and the soul in the 'music' just moved my heart.

"You don't mind if I stay here for the night, Mio?"

Did she really have to ask me that?

"Of course not."

And we closed our distance with a kiss.

* * *

><p>The sunlight crept in through the opened window. I frowned and opened my heavy eyelids slowly as I groaned softly. I could feel that it was not only the sun that warmed me up, it was also because of the arms that embraced me gently and lovingly from behind.<p>

My grey orbs lurked around the room to find my alarm clock. I blinked a few times to clear my vision. Then I realized that I woke up an hour before my alarm went off.

I looked down to see ourselves fully-clothed. We ended up not doing anything last night because I realized that Ritsu looked tired, so I told her to just go to sleep. She just nodded and pulled me down to the bed so we could sleep together, and now here we were.

My long fingers stroked Ritsu's right forearm, feeling a hard object behind that sleeve. My eyebrows were knitted together at this. I pondered how much blood had stained that blade, how many lives had been lost under that blade.

The thought sent shivers down my spine. I clutched both her arm and my chest tightly, feeling the object and my scar beneath my shirt.

She was a killer…

A murderer…

But I knew that she didn't mean it that way, I knew that she didn't kill innocent people.

But still…to steal someone's life was just…

* * *

><p><em>"...W-Wrong, isn't it<em>…_? So w-why_…_? You_…_you must be lying_…_s-stop joking_…_." I scooted away until my back touched the wall. I stared at the person in front of me in disbelief._

_She lifted her right arm__.__ I yelped and closed my eyes when I saw the blood that stained the sleeve. Her sharp gaze was piercing onto me, and her face was stern. She was not joking at all; she meant every one of her words._

_No…it couldn't be…_

_She was my best friend…_

_My goofy best friend who was happy-go-lucky and always grinning…_

_There was no way she would be a…a…_

_"Mio, you've seen it in front of your own eyes. I just killed the man __who hurt__ you." _

_Her voice was flat as she said so._

_"W…Why…? ?" I could hear my voice was trembling so much and fear was building up inside of me. My body shook uncontrollably in fear._

_Her expression was cold._

_"If not, you would've been killed- -"_

_"Th-That's not it! ! Wh-Why do you have…that…THING u-under your s- sleeve? ? H-How could you j-just…do THAT? ? You…murderer! !"_

_Then her expression changed all of a sudden. Her cold facade crumbled down to pieces. I watched her tried to hold back tears from falling. Her shoulders shook and she clutched my bed sheets tightly._

_"It's inevitable, Mio…this is not…my choice…."_

_"Wh-What…do you mean…?"_

_She hung her head. I could see her __gritting__ her teeth. "You see…my parents were…assassins, who were the government's dogs." She clutched the bed sheet tighter. "Those damn people assigned them to kill criminals and whoever that they thought __were__ very dangerous to them."_

_"…W-'Were' assassins…?"_

_She choked __back__ a sob, "My parents are d-dead, Mio. …Got killed by a group of…criminals, a-and the man who were about to kill you was from that same g-group…Sa…Satoshi also…"_

_She lost her parents? And her brother? When did this happened? How could I not see that?_

…_That…that she had this kind of sorrow locked tightly inside of her._

_Seeing her trembling like this, looking very weak and fragile, was very alien in my eyes. The Ritsu I knew always smiled, always looking so strong despite the situation. But this…I'd never seen her like this. Where did my strong Ritsu go…?_

_The way she hung her head, I guessed that she tried to hide her __fallible__ expression from me, or rather…she could not face me?_

_Too dirty…to face me?_

_Even though I myself was still trembling, I stretched my hand out, and hesitantly touched her trembling hand which had some blood stains on it. I saw her flinch; a sob finally escaped her lips._

You are still Ritsu.

_...Right?_

* * *

><p>"Mio<em>…<em>?" This almost made me jumped in surprise.

I turned around and smiled. "Oh, good morning," I greeted her, albeit smiling nervously.

Ritsu returned the greeting with a smile and a peck on my lips before she whispered, "Morning, birthday girl. Since it's your birthday, I will let you do anything with me, just for today."

An eyebrow rose. "Anything?"

"Anything."Ritsu said matter-of-factly.

I just gave her a knowing smile.

"Come to school with me."

* * *

><p>I dragged her to my school, which was her old school. My hand clenched around hers tightly, not wanting to let go.<p>

No, never again.

"Mio_…_are you sure this is a good idea- -"

"Ritsu, just be quiet and stay at the music room," I glanced at her with my lips tugged upward, "Your drum kit is still there, by the way."

Then we caught the scenery of Sakuragaoka. I glanced back at the brunette; I saw her frown and bring the hood of her jacket atop of her head so that her face couldn't be seen clearly. And since she never wore her headband anymore, it made her look like a stranger.

A stranger_…_huh?

I talked my way to the security to let her in, my reasoning was that she was once a student of this school, which I didn't lie about. I succeeded and we were allowed in, despite the cautious glare from the security.

When we walked together, I could feel the stares that felt as if they were stripping me naked. Not just at me, they also were staring at the 'stranger' next to me. Some whispered to each other, wondering why a 'male' was inside the school, and why was 'he' walking next to me.

My eyes couldn't help but wander off to her appearances. Black hoodie, black jeans, grey T-shirt, headband-less_…_yeah, she indeed looked like a guy. But the shape of her face should've had been a big give away though.

Because she had this slender, feminine face, and round eyes, and small, tiny lips that glistened under the sun…

"Good morning Mio…chan?" I spun my head around to the source of the voice. There I found Yui, Azusa, and Mugi.

"Oh hey, good morning Yui," I greeted her back before I looked at Ritsu. She let go of my hand while I really didn't want to. When the warmth of her hand was missing in mine, I felt my heart clench, afraid that I would lose her.

I nodded my head towards the music room's direction. She nodded and walked away. I realized that she avoided in looking at Yui and the others. She left hesitantly, and I knew she wanted to look at them, greet them, but she didn't have the guts to do so.

Was it guilt, I wonder?

"Mio-chan, who was that?"

I snapped out of my trance. "Huh? Who?"

"That guy just now, who was it?"

A smile attached on my lips, "You'll see."

"Was it your boyfriend?" asked Mugi, her eyes seemed to gleam in interest.

I flinched. "No!"

Not exactly wrong.

"Let's just…go to the class," I said as I walked away.

It was faint, but I heard the beatings of the drums.

I closed my eyes and smiled.

* * *

><p>"Happy birthday Mio-chan! !"<p>

That sentence was still ringing in my ears, everyone had been saying it the whole day.

I felt happy, very happy, not only was Ritsu back, but just the fact that everyone said their birthday wishes to me…even if it was embarrassing, it made me happy. So happy that I forgot about every disaster that had been happening in my life.

The disaster, which had something to do with something vile, like blood.

I stopped in my tracks and shook my head as shivers ran down in my spine. I continued to walk towards the music room. I'd asked the others to come to the music room because there was someone I would like them to meet. Someone they knew very well. Someone they treasure.

_"Yui and Azusa don't even look at me anymore. They don't want to."_

No, Ritsu. They cherish you.

Right now, the others were all busy cleaning the classroom because of the small party they held for me, including Azusa. They said that they would come after.

With every step I took, I could hear my footsteps get louder and faster, synchronized completely with my heartbeat. I just couldn't wait to see Ritsu again.

Was it weird for me to be eager to see a murderer?

Was it weird to have my heart stolen by this murderer? Nonetheless, a girl?

I stood there in front of the door. That feeling was there again. It was having a mixed feeling where I was afraid at her, yet loving her at the same time. And there were also feelings of yearning, because it had been a long time since I'd seen her.

A year.

A whole darn year, without her, without the sound of her laugh, her grin, her stupid acts, her warmth, her touch…

But no, not anymore. I could finally see her again, and feel her.

I turned the doorknob.

Because she was there, waiting for me.

A gust of wind blew across to me. I closed my eyes to avoid dust from getting into my eyes. When I opened them, I expected to see a pair of amber eyes and a grin, but instead all I saw was…

Nothing.

No one was there.

I blinked. I rubbed at my eyes, hoping they were only fooling me.

But no one was there.

"No…no…not again…this can't be happening…."

I searched the room. I couldn't even find any traces of her.

No…no…could it be all just a dream?

Without thinking any further, I brought my legs out of the room and ran throughout the hallway even if it was forbidden to do so. I just ran and ran, letting my instinct to find her while tears were starting to pool in my eyes, blurring my vision, and soon those tears damped my cheeks.

I didn't want to be alone, no, not again.

I shouldn't have had let go of her hand.

I should've had kept her within my grasp.

I should've had…

My feet brought me to the gate. I panted heavily. My legs were buckling, tears were streaming down without stopping, my heart was beating so fast and loud that I could practically hear them, and my hands were clenching so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.

I still couldn't believe that it was happening again.

She left me, just like that.

Right then, two arms enveloped me in a warm embrace from behind. I felt hot breath against my ear. I could smell her heavenly scent, and it calmed me down immediately. I sighed in relief and let myself be overwhelmed by her embrace.

"Where…were you, idiot…?" I sobbed.

"I…don't have the guts to see them, Mio, it was too much…a-at least, not like this. I'm too dirty, I can't stain them."

I couldn't retort, a part of me agreed with her.

"And not after what happened with Mugi's…." Her voice was getting lower and lower, I felt her tremble. I could tell that she still felt very guilty about 'that' incident.

The one thing that completely broke Ritsu's world, shattered it to pieces without any traces.

"I met them all when I went to the toilet, they seemed to finally recognize me, but didn't say anything…since they…know the truth about me. Who would want to call out the name of a murderer?" She must be gritting her teeth by now, I thought. "Except Mugi, she actually called me. But I ran away. …I can't face them."

"Ritsu…." I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears. "Let's…take a walk."

* * *

><p>Again, hand in hand.<p>

The chilly environment couldn't even make me feel cold when we had our hands like this. It felt as if it was summer.

We were silent, only our footsteps were what made some noise. We only enjoyed each other's warmth. Words weren't needed for a year of her lost presence. To be just like this was more than enough.

The hole in my heart had closed just by seeing her smile.

Ah…the smile that warmed me up in this cold day.

After a long silence, she finally spoke. "Mio…are you taking me to the…park?"

I nodded at her question as I looked at her. I cocked an eyebrow when I saw her frown, and she realized I was staring at her. Then her expression was all blank as she looked up ahead, and I followed her gaze.

The park.

When we finally arrived at the park, I sat down on a bench, and she sat down next to me.

Silence.

I grasped her hand tightly, my hand shook a bit.

It seemed that I still couldn't handle it, being here at the park. I put my hand on my chest, flinching a bit as if there was an open wound on it. Many memories about this park were swimming around my head. Some were good ones, while some were…

"I knew we shouldn't have come here."

Her hand reached for my face. Her delicate fingers slowly wiped my tears.

Wait, tears?

Was I crying?

Then I heard myself sob…yeah, I was crying.

"Hey, today is your birthday, don't cry," I heard her whisper soothingly.

"I-I'm sorry…it's just…this place- -"

"- -Is where I first killed someone, in front of your eyes." I flinched, I shook in fear.

Yes, this was the place.

The place where blood was pouring everywhere, blackening the ground. And this place was where I had this 'mark' on my chest. The dark memories made me only see a stained ground right now, not a solid, sandy ground anymore. It was all dark red, just like a sea of blood.

And a pair of amber eyes appeared in between that sea of blood, staring fiercely like a knife.

No…I need to fight it.

I need to!

It has been too long I got wrapped up in this fear, it was time to let go. I must run forward. Yes, run, not walk. I must get rid of this fear quickly.

Ritsu was still Ritsu! !

"Barnacles."

"YAAHH! !" I fell to the ground. I looked at her with wide eyes before I frowned.

She stood up, reached her hand out to me as she smiled. I pouted at her before I took her hand and stood up, dusting off my skirt with my other hand.

When I felt a tug on my hand, I gave her a quizzical look. She had this cautious look as she glanced around. Then she walked away, thus pulling me along with her.

I stayed silent. I knew that she wanted to take me away from this dreaded place. I didn't know why, but there was something about the way she held my hand. Her grip was unusually tight.

Why? Was it insecurity? I couldn't really tell.

I stared at her back. A breeze swayed her hair gently, making her hair look very smooth.

Why did I feel like she would disappear again? Why did her figure feel so…far?

What was this feeling?

I snapped out of my trance when my hand was pulled back. I finally realized she had stopped in her tracks. I looked at her in confusion, to see her head hung low. Her long, unruly bangs were almost covering her entire face.

"Mio, you do realize how dangerous I am right? Why…why are you still here, with me? Why did you even wait for me when I was gone?"

I didn't expect her to ask me that.

"W-What...?"

"I…don't deserve you…my presence is your agony…."

My heart clenched.

"No! I…I love you, Ritsu!"

"I'm an ASSASSIN, Mio! Look what I've done to you! I've made you terrified of everything! A-And I'm too dirty for you- -"

A loud smack filled the air. I watched her face thrown to the side due to the impact, and her eyes were wide.

"Dirty this…dirty that…." My voice were shaking. "You foolish idiot! ! Look, I don't care what you really are! You are you, Ritsu!"

Yes, you were you, I loved you no matter what you really were, Ritsu.

"…"

"You are such a blockhead! Sure I have a fear of you, but everything that you did isn't your fault! Your so-called boss—government—pushed you to do so! So none of it is your fault! !"

I took a deep breath, clenched my fists, and readied myself to say the next sentence.

"Even when you've killed Mugi's father! !"

I felt myself shaking after I said that. It was a taboo sentence, a sentence that Ritsu would never, ever want to hear.

I saw her flinch and her expression changed drastically. She was all pale, and terrified, and guilt spread all over her face. She looked like an empty doll, soulless.

"I'm not a human…killing my own best friend's father…."

"But you didn't know that it was him- -" My sentence was cut short as she dashed forward and was before me.

There was a sound of clashing metal. I looked up at her in shock.

She stood there right in front of me with her back facing towards me. Her right arm was stretched out, and her hidden blade was out of its hiding place. She looked to the side, and I followed her gaze. I was very surprised when I saw a knife was stuck to the ground.

"Dammit, I knew they've been following me all day," I heard her mumble as she gritted her teeth. I watched her eyes wander around our surroundings, then her gaze locked on a certain corner. When I glanced over, a glimpse of a shadow was fleeing away.

"Who…?"

"The usual, they wanted to kill me…let's get back to your home Mio, it's not safe here." She took my hand, and we ran.

There were still so many people who were targeting her.

And so she still had to run.

Until when?

Running away like this had already worn me out, but what about her?

Weren't she tired of it at all?

Wait…was my hand trembling?

I casted a glance at her hand that was intertwined with mine, it was all sweating. She was clenching so tight that my hand paled. I took a look at her face. Her teeth were gritted together, and she was squinting as sweat threatened to get into her eyes.

She _was_ tired of it after all.

* * *

><p>We were finally in my room. I went in from the front door while she went in from the window, so that my parents wouldn't find out that Ritsu was here.<p>

I casted a glance at Ritsu, who sat down on the bed, sweat still adorning her face. She looked more tired than I thought. She glanced up at me, and her face showed how much she wanted this to stop. She was tired of playing hide and seek.

What she sought was a normal life, a normal high school life.

I approached her. I stood in front of her and wrapped my arms around her head. Pulling her into an embrace, I frowned a bit. I could feel the scar on my chest pressed firmly to her face, it felt a bit odd. Then, I felt her arms sneak around my waist, her arms were trembling. A sigh escaped her lips and she hugged me tightly, as if she had found a comfort in my arms.

"Mio...," I heard her speak softly, "aren't you tired of…this…?"

All I could give her was silence as I closed my eyes.

Tired? Yes.

But I didn't want to be separated from her. Without her, I felt like an empty shell.

I need her. My heart could not beat without her.

I'd tear down the sky if it could make me always by her side.

"I will stay with you, Ritsu," I finally spoke.

Yes, I've had decided.

Screw the government, screw those who wanted to kill her, screw assassins, screw the world.

"I, Akiyama Mio, will stay with you, Tainaka Ritsu, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."

She looked up from my chest and stared at me with widened eyes. "What…? Aren't those words…?"

"You said you will let me do anything with you because today is my birthday. So I want to be by your side, and don't ever push me away again Ritsu, I- -"

There was a strike of pain in my back.

A gush of fluid spurted out from my chest. I could hear it fall and stain Ritsu's lap. I saw Ritsu's wide eyes and a katana emerging from my chest, right through the long scar on it and right next to her head.

I touched my bloodied chest. My body shook.

I coughed. I could taste iron inside my mouth.

"MIO! !"

I fell onto my side and coughed again.

I couldn't move, I could only see Ritsu stand up and run past my body. Now all I could see was her shadow on the wall.

"YOU ASSHOLE!" I heard her scream. Her shadow jumped, and I heard a scrape of metal. A glimpse of another shadow was being stabbed countless times around the throat and chest. There was a gurgled sound as she kept on yelling at the person who did this to me mercilessly.

It was getting harder to breathe.

It was getting harder to see.

My chest was burning with pain and I could feel hot tears streaming from my eyes.

But I couldn't scream.

I tried to say something, but I couldn't.

I tried to move, but my body wouldn't listen to my commands.

I was getting tired…

"Mio! ! No! !" Her figure came back and crouched down in front of me, her body was stained by blood, while her face was stained by tears. She looked horrified.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of power building up inside me. My mind screamed, commanding my body to move. And then at last, my arm moved up to her. My trembling hand touched her face and washed away her tears, only to be replaced by blood.

Another cough fit hit me, but I still forced myself to smile and speak, "Don't…give me…that…look…." The taste of iron in my mouth increased, I gurgled and coughed violently, I watched the floor become stained from my own blood.

Weird. I wasn't scared at all, seeing all that blood.

"No…No…Mio…Mio…"

She kept on chanting my name, desperately, while my eyes were getting heavy.

…I couldn't breathe…

"Mio…I…" Her voice was shaking. "…Entreat me not to leave you, o-or to…return to following after y-you, for where you go…I will go, a-and where you…s-stay, I will stay." She cried so hard that I could barely understand her.

…Was she trying to…?

"Mio…" Another sob. "…where you die, I will die and there I will be buried."

What was this satisfied feeling?

Why did I feel so calm?

Could it be because of her vow?

…A wedding vow.

My eyes were starting to close as all the energy I had started to fade away.

"I love you, Mio."

She said that one sentence in a strong, steady voice.

She held me close and pressed herself tightly against me, thus the tip of the katana that was emerging from my chest stabbed her own. I could hear her cough and groan. And I felt a warm sensation over my lips. It was very soft, with a taste of an iron in it.

She kissed me, sealing the vow that we had spoken.

We were one.

"Happy…birthday…Mio…."

I closed my eyes, and everything was white.

* * *

><p>There was a figure in front of me. She stretched her hand out to me and a smile was attached to her lips. I held her hand tightly.<p>

I would never let go of her hand.

And we would never be separated.

No, not anymore.

"The best present…ever."

"Glad you like it." Her voice was very lilting and clear.

My present was her, literally her, my loved one.

We walked towards a blinding light, and greeted the eternity of our love.

This was my bittersweet birthday.

* * *

><p><em><strong>THE END<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ...Really, I didn't even plan the ending to be that way, it just came out of nowhere when I write it...**

**Whoa...after a couple of months of not writing, I made this kind of ending...**

**Well, I actually have an idea to make the PREQUEL for this, to explain what the hell is actually happened here...but I dunno if I could, I need to finish my other fanfics first.**

**So, this fanfic can be counted as a TEASER.  
><strong>

**Let's** **pray so that I could really write the prequel.**

**And, those who play Final Fantasy XIII probably realized where "I'd tear down the sky if it could made me always by her side." came from, yes, it was what Fang said to Lightning, although what she said was actually, "I'll tear down the sky if it'll save her."...'her' in here equals Vanille, yes, Fang x Vanille, CANON YURI IN FINAL FANTASY WOOOT! ! ! At least, the ending made them completely canon, and their hugs, skirt lifting and boob grabbing made it SUPAH canon.**

**Err...random rant aside, the lyrics here is from "Together Again" by Evanescence.**

**See ya'll again in my next fanfic!.**


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